Human trafficking is an ongoing and prevalent threat with millions of people being victimized worldwide. While many first think of sex trafficking in the context of human trafficking, labor trafficking is far more prevalent. The United Nations' International Labor Organization estimates that 27.6 million people are victimized by human traffickers worldwide, and, of that number, 77% are in forced labor.
While forced labor can occur in any industry, certain industries are more prone to labor trafficking, including domestic work, agriculture, restaurants, salons, and construction. Also, certain people are more susceptible to being victimized, including those who have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, experienced mental health challenges, and live in poverty.
Additionally, human trafficking does not necessarily mean the individuals are moved from one place to another, rather that they are manipulated and controlled, exploited for someone else's gain. Employees could be working for a company day after day while being trafficked.
Federal and state laws criminalize human trafficking to varying degrees. Therefore, counsel and their employer clients should understand the red flags that could indicate when an employee is being trafficked and the associated legal risks.
Furthermore, counsel should be able to assist companies with developing and implementing trauma-informed HR practices to assist employees who may be trafficking victims and other business measures to help minimize the risk of trafficking more generally such as performing supply chain audits to identify high risk areas and reviewing contracts with suppliers to include strong anti-trafficking provisions.
Listen as our authoritative panel examines human trafficking in the workplace. The panel will discuss red flags that employers should be aware of and offer best practices for assisting clients to mitigate the risk of trafficking both in the workplace and more generally through their business dealings.
